PAINS DURING GROWTH IN CHILDREN

Pains During Growth In Children

Pain is part of a growing-up process for up to forty percent of all children aged three to eight
years old. Why and how it comes about is something no one is very sure of. The pain vanishes
when a child stops to grow or reaches adolescent stage.
Children experience growing pains in some parts of the legs, normally around the calves,
behind knees and front area of thighs. The pain usually attacks before and during sleep. A child
may go to bed without it, only to be roused at midnight by aching legs. Fortunately to his or her
relief, the pain just disappears the next morning.

Muscles, and not the areas surrounding joints or bones, are affected by growing pains. Some
people say that too much physical daytime activity by children causes growing pains. With all
the running, jumping and climbing that children are wont to do, their muscles are likely to get
tired and sore sooner or later.

Efforts to link growing pains to bone growth among children have drawn little support from
evidence. What the theory says is that spurts of bone growth may also give rise to growing
pains. Muscles and tendons are tight and growing at a rate separate from the rate bones are
growing. The resulting discord induces muscle spasms that normally last for up to fifteen
minutes.

In any case what seems certain is that the afflicted child usually experiences the pain not only in
one but in both legs. The pain is also not accompanied by redness or swelling over the affected
body parts or by fever. And if it does not vanish by the time the child awakens in the morning,
there is possibility that the pain might be associated with another and more serious ailment.
Children who find the pain too hard too bear need help from their parents or guardians.
Acetaminophen, ibuprofen and other pain relieving drugs that can be bought over the counter
can provide immediate relief. Parents or guardians must not administer aspirin, as this drug has
been known to induce a serious sickness called Reye Syndrome. Apart from medication,
heating pads placed over the hurting leg part can help alleviate the pain. Massage and
stretching exercises are also helpful.

Parents need to remember that growing pains are normally not intense enough to keep the
afflicted child from his or her routine of running, walking or playing. They therefore should take a
careful look at the child and examine the extent of the pain the moment he or she shows beyond
than normal signs of affliction. Doctor's help becomes compulsory when the child develops
swelling, redness, fever, tenderness, or is manifesting difficulty in movement like limping when
he or she walks.

Physicians carefully analyze the ailment to determine if the symptoms are those of growing
pains alone or something else. They conduct physical examination and review the child's
medical records. In more dire cases, the child may be subjected to further tests like X-ray and
blood examination to determine with finality if the ailment is associated solely with growing pain
or not.

Children can help themselves minimize, if not prevent, growing pains through proper and
regular muscle stretching. There is no need for them to go through complex or elaborate
exercise routine. What is important is carrying it on. Even when the pain disappears, the child
needs to keep the muscles and tendons relaxed and in harmony with sudden bone growth.
Taking in sufficient amounts of fluids like quinine and tonic water also reduces risks of muscle
cramps. Children with parental help would do well to drink them before they go to sleep.